The military and healthcare have relied on simulation-based training for decades. To better prepare US Army Forward Surgical Teams (FST) for deployment overseas, a number of initiatives were proposed to expose military medical personnel to combat-like injuries (e.g., gunshot wounds, blast injuries). One of these initiatives was the development of the US Army Trauma Training Center (ATTC). Each month a 20-person FST attends a two-week training program at ATTC which focuses on classroom, simulation-based, and hands-on clinical experience. Within six months of training, FSTs begin applying what they have learned in theater. Given that, the purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, we sought to understand trainees' reactions to the training once deployed---if training was useful, what did they like, and how could the training be improved. This information is critical for making continuous improvements to the training provided to the FSTs. Second, based on trainees' feedback and our own observations, we created a list of lessons learned. It is our hope that these lessons learned will assist both the military and healthcare communities as they embark on similar endeavors.